Improved Program Management and Strategic Communications Support for Forest Service

The Problem:

The Forest Service is highly dispersed with a workforce of 40,000+ and work is accomplished through 900 field offices located all across North America. The agency needed to migrate its messaging systems and services from an internal Lotus Notes and Domino environment to a Microsoft cloud-based application suite. The major challenges facing the project team were related to (1) technology deployment and transition from Notes to Exchange, (2) effective communications and change management with a geographically disperse workforce, (3) training in the new application suite, and (4) implementing the new messaging services while a large portion of the workforce is focused on mission-critical support for fire season.

The Solution:

Octo was brought in to provide program management and strategic communications management support to these initiatives. Bringing to bear true subject matter experts in the Forest Service domain, cloud, and strategic communications areas, Octo has partnered with Forest Service and USDA leadership to attack both strategic and tactical maturation of the program, processes, and personnel.

Key Takeaways

The Forest Service is highly dispersed with a workforce of 40,000+ workers

Octo solution provided program management and strategic communications management to support to these initiatives

Octo is now a trusted advisor providing insight and identifying key risks throughout deployment of the Microsoft cloud solution

The Benefits

Octo has become a trusted advisor providing insight and experience from numerous Strategic Communications and Software as a Service (SaaS) efforts to the Program Manager as well as identifying key risks throughout the deployment of the Microsoft cloud solution.